College Football Week 7 is the best week of the season so far, and it may be the best weekend all year though week 10 is strong as well with the Crimson Tide @ LSU among other games. But this weekend has more blockbusters. Here are previews and predictions.
Last week, SU: 9-5, overall, 84-24, 78%. ATS: 7-7, 56-52, 52%. O/U: 7-7, 62-46, 57%.
All games are Central time and all games on Saturday unless otherwise listed.
No.6 Alabama (5-1, 3-1) @ No.14 Tennessee (5-1, 2-1)
Neyland Stadium
2:30 P.M.
ABC
Crimson Tide by 8 1/2, 51 1/2
The Crimson Tide faithful is still irate over the pathetic officiating last Saturday Night in Tuscaloosa that cost them a victory over Georgia. There was an pretty clear interception by QB Reese that was ruled an interception on the field and inexplicably overturned on review in the third quarter that would have put the Tide in the redzone, a face mask penalty that was missed. A targeting penalty by Georgia safety KJ Bolden on Ryan Coleman-Williams that was also inexplicably missed by this substandard crew. And the worst, was the missed pass interference call by the refs that cost the Tide from having the ball first and goal from the two yard line.
If a pass interference penalty occurs in the end zone from the 17 yard line to the goal line of the offending team in their territory, the ball is placed at that opponent’s two yard line.
Referee Kyle Olson’s crew was horrifically bad. On the missed pass interference call, back judge Tom Fimmen should have seen it and called it, center judge Chris Garner should have flagged it, line judge Chad Lorance missed it too, as did umpire Rod Tucker. That’s four flags that should have come out. Bolden of Georgia was the offender once again. It was a travesty and an embarrassment to officiating. The Crimson Tide deserved better. Georgia is good, but Alabama is the better team in my opinion. Georgia played a good game, but won because the officials were terrible. Those guys should be suspended.
But now the Crimson Tide has to turn the page and get ready for a tough one in Knoxville. I still like this team very much and see them handling business even with injuries to Coleman-Williams and starting center Racin Delgatty. Love what Kalen DeBoer is doing with his football team. A lot left to play for, for the Crimson Tide.
Alabama 31, Tennessee 21
Auburn (3-2, 1-2) @ No.1 Georgia (6-0, 4-0)
Sanford Stadium, Athens
2:30 P.M.
ESPN
Georgia by 21 1/2, 49 1/2
It hasn’t been going well on the Plains. It’ll probably be a long afternoon. Kirby Smart needs to clean up his act. No wonder players have so many arrests over there listening to that guy talking to them all day.
Georgia 35, Auburn 13
Florida (4-2, 2-2) @ No.7 Texas (4-1, 1-1)
DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin
11 A.M.
ABC
Texas by 11 1/2, 52 1/2
I don’t trust Texas very much, but Florida has imploded the last couple of weeks.
Texas 34, Florida 21
No.13 Missouri (5-1, 2-1) @ No.9 Ole Miss (4-1, 2-1)
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxvegas
2:30 P.M.
SEC Network
Ole Miss by 5 1/2, 58 1/2
It’ll be close, both teams are good. But I like Trinidad and the Rebels to get the job done at home.
Ole Miss 31, Missouri 28
No. 16 Mississippi State (4-1, 2-1) @ No.22 LSU (4-2, 1-2)
Tiguh Stadium, Baaton Rouge
11 A.M.
ESPN
LSU by 14 1/2, 57 1/2
I really like what State has done this year, though the Crimson Tide exposed them a couple of weeks ago. It’s not going according to the plan for Lane and the LSU brass. Natives will be restless if they lose another one down the road.
LSU 38, Mississippi State 17
No. 15 Kentucky (5-1, 3-1) @ Oklahoma (3-2, 1-1)
Memorial Stadium, Norman
6:30 P.M.
S-E-C Network
Sooners by 6 1/2, 43 1/2
I love what Will Stein is doing in Lexington. I like them to go on the road and pull off another upset.
Kentucky 23, Oklahoma 21
Arkansas (2-4, 0-3) @ Vanderbilt (3-3, 0-3)
FirstBank Stadium, Nashville
6 P.M.
ESPN2
Vandy by 6 1/2, 50 1/2
Arkansas played Tennessee tough at home last Saturday, losing 24-17. Vanderbilt has imploded and just dismissed a player for strangling a person at a downtown fight last Saturday Night. Not going so swiftly for Clark Lea right now. He’s a wordy guy. Probably bores his players to death.
Arkansas 27, Vanderbilt 23
The Citadel (2-4) @ Texas A&M (3-3)
Kyle Field, College Station
12 P.M.
SEC Network+
A&M by 45 1/2, 56 1/2
What a joke game. Right now, Mike Elko and A&M are a joke team.
Texas A&M 45, The Citadel 10
No. 4 Ohio State (5-1, 3-0 Big Ten) @ No. 5 Indiana (6-0, 3-0)
Memorial Stadium, Bloomington
11 A.M.
FOX
Ohio State by 3 1/2, 49 1/2
Give me Cignetti and Indiana. They’re the tougher team.
Indiana 24, Ohio State 21
No.2 Notre Dame (6-0) @ No. 8 BYU (6-0)
LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah
6:30 P.M.
ABC
Fighting Irish by 10 1/2, 46 1/2
Expecting a classic in prime time on Saturday Night. LaVell Edwards will be rocking. Give me Kilani Sitake and the Cougars to pull off a colossal upset.
BYU 24, Notre Dame 23
Florida State (3-3, 1-2 ACC) @ No. 3 Miami (5-0, 3-0)
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL.
6 P.M.
ESPN
Miami by 21 1/2, 56 1/2
The clock is ticking on the Mike Norvell tenure in Tallahassee. Miami was looking good, but they’ve fallen off some lately. Some are attributing it to injuries. Everybody has injuries.
Miami 37, Florida State 14
Wisconsin (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) @ No. 12 UCLA (5-0, 3-0)
Rose Bowl, Pasadena
6:30 P.M.
NBC
UCLA by 2 1/2, 42 1/2
I like an extremely close game with the Bruins barely surviving. They lost their starting quarterback for the year last week at Oregon in a 17-15 upset victory that put them on the map. It’ll be interesting to see how they “matriculate” without him.
UCLA 21, Wisconsin 20
No. 18 Oklahoma State (4-1, 2-0 Big 12) @ No. 20 Houston (5-1, 2-1)
TDECU Stadium, Rocket City
6:30 P.M.
FOX
Houston by 4 1/2, 62 1/2
I like the Cougars, on their home turf, to knock off the Cowboys.
Houston 35, OK State 30
Tonight
East Carolina (3-2, 1-0 American) @ UAB (3-3, 1-1)
Protective Stadium, Magic City
6:30
ESPN
East Carolina by 5 1/2, 48 1/2
I really like what Alex Mortensen, Todd Grantham and the Blazers are doing. They’re building something. Derrick’s going to be real happy with me.
9 Responses
I like Vandy to win but otherwise think your picks are spot on!
Great analysis as always.
Glad everyone is coming around to understanding how bad SEC refs are. Need to pay full time professional refs.
Thanks, MB. Vanderbilt is a mess.
I really can’t fathom that the line is 20+ in the traditional rivalry games of AU vs GA and FSU vs Miami. Unfortunately I think the spread is about right. I hope the Tide can put the last game behind them. The Vols have the home field advantage but, the difference will be QB play.
Thanks, Walter. That and line play.
Loving these picks other than Vandy. Ky is on a roll. MBC ate my lunch on the course todayi love your upset picksin Indiana and BYU
Thanks,Joseph! Nobody agrees with the Vandy upset. I do.
Arkansas upset of Vandy I should say.
DW, missed you today but know you were busy here. You are right on with all your detail of the Alabama/Georgia game officiating. I think the worst ever for an entire game. There is no way the SEC can look at itself and not declare that malpractice. But as you say we have to move on. Love your picks. WT
Thanks, WT.